Lonrho Mining has commenced drilling at the first of 61 priority kimberlite targets at its Lulo Diamond Concession in Angola.
It said in a statement that the programme was targeted at finding the source(s) of the large gem-quality alluvial diamonds of up to 131.4 carats the company recovered recently.
The diamond was determined to have many features of a rare Type IIa diamond, which account for less than 1.5 percent of all diamonds produced, and was valued at $3.5 million.
Meanwhile, Lonrho said that priority targets were selected from a list of 247 targets by international diamond expert Manfred Marx.
It said weathered kimberlite had been countered at the first hole at the Se12 kimberlite and drilling of the second hole was currently underway.
The bagged drill sample from Se12 was expected to be treated through Lonrho's DMS plant in the next 2-3 weeks, the miner said.
Lulo had the potential to produce diamonds far better than the average global production.
Lonrho was the manager and operator of the Lulo Concession, a joint venture with the Angolan Government's diamond company Endiama.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
